News in Church News

The Pope, 84, tapped an iPad to activate the portal and send the tweet. Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are all now being used by the Vatican to spread its Christian message. Under a logo which reads "News.va, The Vatican Today", the new portal offers "an exclusive, multimedia presentation of all the other communications websites of the Holy See".

The focus of Pope Benedict XVI's trip to Zagreb, Croatia, June 4-5 will be on the family and building a community with Christian values.In the 84-year-old pope's 19th trip abroad and his 13th to a European country, he also will continue to underline the importance he places on reviving Europe's Christian roots.

by: By Mark Greaves - CatholicHerald in Church News, Thu, May 12th 2011

The bishops’ conference of England and Wales was expected to discuss its most basic priorities this week at a meeting that may lead to a shake-up of Eccleston Square, its administrative headquarters in central London.

Spokesman for northeast India bishops Salesian Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati has delivered a message to Pope Benedict XVI that his community stands ready to help the universal Church in any way that it can.

In view of the next World Youth Day planned for Madrid between 16 and 21 August 2011, a handbook “Youcat” has been prepared intended to help young people in a clear and modern way to know the principal themes of the Catholic Faith.

Opening the gathering of around 150 bloggers from around the world, Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli stressed that the meeting was aimed at reaching a "broader and deeper understanding" between blog writers and the Vatican. Father Lombardi Encourages Open and Frank Dialogue on Faith

Sunday's beatification is scheduled for10 a.m.Rome time at Saint Peter's Square. Once the Pope announces the beatification, a large tapestry with the smiling face of John Paul II will shine from the basilica.

At the beginning of the seventh year of Benedict XVI's Pontificate, on 19 April 2011, L'Osservatore Romano launched its new site. The various editions are now accessible (in addition to the Italian daily, the weekly editions in Italian, English, German, French, Spanish and Portuguese, and the monthly in Polish).

Mgr Newton met the Holy Father and presented him with several gifts on behalf of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham.Accompanying Mgr Newton were Auxiliary Bishop Alan Hopes of Westminster.

Japan's bishops, meeting in Sendai March 16, decided to establish the center and initiate additional relief efforts under the supervision of Caritas. "Young people are continually coming to Caritas from all the dioceses to offer their availability as volunteers to bring aid to the areas most affected by the disaster,"

The church highlighted the assassination of Pakistani minority affairs minister Shahbaz Bhatti at the start of March. Mr Bhatti was the only Christian member of the cabinet in Pakistan. Cardinal O'Brien said: "To increase aid to the Pakistan government when religious freedom is not upheld and those who speak up for religious freedom are gunned down is tantamount to an anti-Christian foreign policy.

At the end of 2009, the worldwide Catholic population increased by 15 million or 1.3 per cent, slightly outpacing the global population growth rate, which was estimated at 1.1 per cent, according to a statement by the Vatican press office.

The Centre for Inter-Religious Dialogue of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organisation (Tehran, Iran) and the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue.

" It is necessary for Christians and Muslims as well as all believers and persons of good will, to co-operate in answering modern challenges, promoting moral values, justice and peace and protecting the family, environment and natural resources"